I had virus problems with my XP Pro and I did a clean install. I saved the entire docs and settings folder in a backup file with the windows backup utility on a seperate drive. When I went to restore the settings after the install it didn't take. The only account that works was the one I made during the clean install. I can see the old account folders in docs and settings on the C drive now but the one with all my stuff won't let me access it. If I could access it I would do a manual install of the docs and settings. There are a bunch or irreplaceable family pics on there so I need to get them off.

Is there a way to extract the Win XP backup file and save it outside of the operating system to a folder so I could just manually access the files? I think perhaps there may be a security issue here because when I renamed the machine after the clean install I am not sure I used the exact same name. I logged in as system admin and I still can't get to the files. I tried some third party software that says they can get you in but it is REALLY expensive. It may be my only option however at this point.

" can see the old account folders in docs and settings on the C drive now but the one with all my stuff won't let me access it"

What is the error message you are getting when you attempt to access it?

If you are getting an ACCESS DENIED message, you need to try doing the following: (you must have administrator priveleges on your system)

START
MY COMPUTER
C: drive
DOCUMENT AND SETTINGS
right click on the "user folder" you cannot access.
PROPERTIES
SECURITY TAB
ADVANCED button at the bottom
OWNER tab at the top
click once on your current user name
click once on the "Replace on subdirectories and objects"
APPLY
OK

Now you should be able to access that user's folder and do anything you want to do with that folder.

Ok I have another issue now. I restored all the files that I needed from the backup. Now under C:/windows/documents and settings .....I have some old user accounts to be deleted after the restore that are no longer functional. I can delete most folders but there are some system files in these old accounts that I am not able to get rid of (ie....ntuser.dat) for instance.

How do I delete these old non functional accounts and all their data? Do I need to do it the same way by changing the user rights of the system files in these folders?......

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